On March 9th 2015, at 10 PM PT, Apple CEO took the stage at a big event in San Francisco, and he finally answered questions about the long awaited Apple Watch. The Apple smartwatch was originally announced on September of 2014, but details like the release date and price have remained elusive. So how does the Apple Watch compare with other smartwatches like the LG Watch Urbane, the Motorola Moto 360, and the Samsung Gear S?
According to Yahoo News, the Apple Watch will have a small size basic version made of aluminum that will cost $349, with a larger model being $399. The 18 karat version of the watch will cost an exceedingly high $10,000, but a mid-tier version will sell for $549 to $1,049, with a cost of $599 or $1,099 for the larger sized. Pre-orders are available on April 10, with a full release on April 24 in Apple Stores worldwide in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and China.
In addition to finally settling the release dates and price, Tim Cook also settled the battery life question. He says that it is good for 18 hours a day. It will have a special magnetic charger that can click into place when it is near the back of the watch.
Users of the Apple Watch need to have iOS 8.2, which adds the Apple Watch app to your iPhone, so it can be paired with the watch, according to Engadget. Developers are working on thousands of apps since Apple released the tools last November, and they include unlocking a room at a Starwood hotel, opening your garage door, using Apple Play, exercising with its fitness band, and even taking a call.
LG Watch Urbane LTE
LG recently unveiled this smartwatch at Mobile World Congress 2015, according to Smartwatch Reviews. The Urbane LTE has a 1.3 inch full circle P-OLED display, and it can be used as an exercise band with its photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor. It has 4 GB worth of memory and has the Android operating system of Android Wear, plus it can take phone calls. The battery life is long and the price is low, but it might take a while before the Korean company releases it to the United States.
Motorola Moto 360
Motorola's Moto 360 is billed as "a watch for our times", and it costs about $249 on the official website. This particular smartwatch cannot take phone calls, but it will give you proper notifications like other smartwatches. Like the Urbane LTE, it runs on Android wear. It also has a wireless charging cradle, like the Apple Watch will have.
Samsung Galaxy Gear S
The Gear S has a curved screen, and you can make phone calls on it. The operating system is different from the other smartwatches as it has a Tizen based wearable platform. It has the S Health platform to make it a fitness band, and costs $349.99 with contract. There is more information about it on the Samsung Gear S website.
The Apple Watch was rumored for years before its initial announcement last year, and there has been much speculation of how it will change the smartwatch market. Considering the iPad made the tablet market a "game changer", it will be interesting to see if Apple's smartwatch will shake up a market that hasn't really been made part of the typical consumer market as yet.
